Can opener



Patented Aug. 26, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES P. WETMORE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO WETMORE-GIB- BONS CO., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

CAN OPENER.

Application filed October 20, 1923. Serial No. 669,703.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAnLns P. 'WETMORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can Openers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to kitchen utensils, more particularly to implements for opening sheet metal cans.

Its main objects are to provide a simple, durable and easily operated tool or instrur ment for this purpose and in the operation of the tool to make a clean out through the cover close to the rim of a can and at the same time turn down the remaining edge of the sheet metal on the outer side of the cut into a smooth bead or flange which will not lacerate or scratch the fingers or interfere with the removal of the contents of the can.

It consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a plan View of a can opener embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a cross section of the blade on the line 3-3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an end view of the opener as viewed from the left relative to Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the dog forming a part of the opener; and Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view of the dog.

The opener comprises a lever operating handle 1, which may be conveniently made of wood or similar material. It is provided at one end with fork arms 2 and 3, which may be conveniently made of fiat metal bands or comparatively heavy sheet metal, and are connected by parallel vertical pivot and fulcrum pins 4' and 5. The upper fork arm 2, is extended to overhang and bear on the top or upper end of a can 6, to support and guide the opener in proper working position, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. A blade 8, which may be conveniently made from sheet steel, is formed with an outwardly and downwardly oli'set shank 9, of substantially inverted U-shape, as shown in Fig. 3, to overhang the rim of a can and support and guide the blade in proper working position for opening a can. The downwardly extending limb of the shank 9 cpposite the downwardly extending cutting part of the blade is extended in a plane parallel with the cutting part of the blade and perpendicular to the planes of the fork arms 2 and 3, and is formed at the end into a loop or eye 10, around the pivot pin 4, on which it swings. The laterally extended end of the shank 9 corresponds with the distance between the fork arms 2 and 3 between which it is guided, and the pivot loop or eye 10 is made of less width and encircles the pivot pin 4 below the plane of the can cover or top and the cutting point of the blade when the opener is in working position on a can, so that in the operation of the blade 8 by the handle 1, the tendency is to force the blade downward and hold it in proper cutting position.

The cutting edge of the blade, which is presented towards the forked end of the handle, is inclined downwardly and backwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, and is beveled on the side towards the overhanging shank 9, as shown in Fig. 3 and indicated by a dotted line in Fig. 4, so as to bend the sheet metal of the can cover or top downward and form a smooth bead or flange on the outer side of the out, as shown in Fig. 8, which will not lacerate, cut or scratch the fingers of the user or obstruct or interfere with the removal of the contents of the can.

A dog 12, which may be conveniently made of heavy sheet metal, as shown, is pivotally mounted on the fulcrum pin 5 be tween the fork arms 2 and 3. It is formed on opposite sides of the pin 4 with upper and lower teeth 13 and 14, the upper teeth 13 being somewhat shorter than the lower teeth 14, to allow for the seam or projecting rim 15 of the can, as shown in Fig. 2.

The dog is formed or provided with a tail piece 17, projecting therefrom towards the blade 8 and adapted by engagement with the side of a can, to maintain the teeth 13 and 1a in proper position for engagement with the side of a can in the operation of the opener.

The swinging movement of the blade 8 is limited in one direction by engagement of its shank 9 with the converging ends of the fork arms 2 and 3, and in the other direction by engagement with the dog 12, and the swinging movement of the dog is limited in both directions by engagement of the looped back of the dog with the pivot loop or eye 10 of the blade.

' In the operation of the opener, the blade 8, which is pointed, is thrust through the tin or sheet metal of the can cover or, top, close to the rim, till the extended end of the fork arm 2 rests on the top of the can, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the handlel is swung backward, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, carrying the fulcrum pin 5 with the dog 12 forward, and the handle is then pulled forward with the teeth 13 and 14 of the dog, in engagement with the side of the can, thereby drawing the blade forward and extending the cut. The forward movement of the handle tends to press and hold the dog in firm engagement with the side of the can, and to hold the fulcrum pin 5 in a fixed position, while the blade is drawn forward. After each advance movement the handle is swung backward, thereby releasing the bite of the dog on the can and moving it forward an interval with the fulcrum pin 5, preparatory to further advance movement of the blade, these operations being repeated step by step till the can cover or top is completely severed from the body and may be removed, leaving a smooth inturned head or flange around the opening into the can.

I claim:

1. In a can opener the combination of a handle having a forked end provided with cross pins between the fork arms, a blade having an outwardly and downwardly extending shank which is pivoted on one of the cross pins, and a dog pivoted on the other pin nearer the free ends of the fork arms and provided with teeth adapted to engage the side of the can when the blade is thrust through the can cover into operative position.

2. In a can opener the combination of a handle having a forked end provided with pivot and fulcrum pins, a blade having an outwardly and downwardly offset and laterally extended shank connected with said pivot pin, and a dog pivotally mounted on the fulcrum pin adjacent the free ends of the fork arms and provided on opposite sides of said pin with upper and lower teeth downwardly offset and laterally extended shank connected with and adapted to swing on said pivot pin, in a plane below the cutting point of the blade, and a dog pivotally mounted on said fulcrum pin and provided with upper and lower teeth adapted to engage the side of a can adjacent and below the upper end of the can and with a backwardly extending tail piece adapted by contact with the side of the can to retain the teeth in engaging position.

4. In a can opener the comblnation of a lever handle having a forked end provided with parallel pivot and fulcrum pins be tween the fork arms, a blade having an outwardly and downwardly oifset and forwardly extended shank connected with said pivot pin and a downwardly extending cutting edge beveled on the outer side next to the rim of a can to which the opener is applied and adapted to turn the edge of the sheet metal on the outer side of a cut downward into a smooth bead or flange, and a dog pivotally mounted on said fulcrum pin and provided with teeth for progressive engagement with the side'of a can in the operation of the opener.

5. In a can opener the combination of a lever handle having a forked end provided with parallel pivot and fulcrum pins, the upper fork arm being extended to bear on the upper end of a can and support the opener in operative position, a blade having a downwardly extending cutting edge and an outwardly and downwardly offset shank pivotally mounted at the end opposite the cutting edge on the pivot pin between the fork arms, and a dog pivotally mounted on said fulcrum pin and provided with teeth on opposite sides of said pin for progressive engagement with the side of a can as the cutting edge of the blade is advanced step by step in making a cut, the swinging movement of the blade being limited by engagement of the shank of the blade with the fork arms in one direction and with the dog in the other direction and the swinging movement of the dog being limited in both directions by engagement with the pivot-ed, end of the blade shank.

6. In a can opener the combination of a handle having an extension adapted to bear on the top of a can and support the opener in working position, a blade having a down wardly extending cutting edge and an outwardly and downwardly offset shank pivotally connected with the handle in a plane below its supporting extension so that the forward movement of the handle tends to draw the cutting edge of the blade downwardly, and a dog pivotally connected With the handle between its supporting extension and the connection of the blade therewith of the opener.

In Witness whereof I hereto affix my signature.

CHARLES P. WETMORE. 

